The Commission of Enquiry into the creation of new regions ended its public hearing at Nsuta Jasikan last Saturday in the Volta Region.

The programme, which was held at the Catholic Centre, was attended by the chiefs and about 7,000 residents of the Jasikan, Nkonya and Kadjebi districts and the Likpe, Lolobi, Santrokofi and Akpafu traditional areas.

Ghana’s former Minister of Justice and Foreign Affairs, Dr Obed Asamoah, who made a presentation on behalf of the Santrokofi, Akpafu, Likpe and Lolobi traditional areas at the Ho sitting, was present with his delegation. Also at the hearing was the Paramount Chief of the Gbi Traditional Area, Togbega Gabusu VI.

In his address, the Volta Regional Minister, Dr Archibald Letsa, called on everyone to support the process for the acceleration of development in the area.

The regional minister recounted his challenges with underdevelopment at Worawora and Oti as a whole when he was posted to work there as a young medical doctor some time ago. He, therefore, called for support for the cause of ‘Oti Region’.

The Krachiwura and Chairman of the Joint Consultative Committee, Nana Besemuna Mprah, in his address presented the statistics of development projects in the Volta Region, indicating the skewed spread, a reason for which the Oti Region was needed immediately.

Joint consultative committee

The Secretary of the Joint Consultative Committee, Dr Kwaku Addeah, told the gathering to remain unfazed by the suit against the Commission of Enquiry and focus on the processes to make the dream a reality. He indicated that the law would take its course.

The Chairman of the Commission of Enquiry, Justice Stephen Alan Brobbey, on behalf of the commissioners, prior to the public hearing, called on residents to state and justify their claims in support for or against the creation of the region without ethnic or political undertones and insults.

Members of the public, in their contributions to the commission, cited the various socio-economic challenges they had been facing for decades and called on the commission to help make the new region a reality.

Similar public hearing sessions in Ho, Kete-Krachi, Nkwanta and Kpassa from January 16 to 19, 2018 registered massive support for the yet-to-be-created ‘Oti Region’.